EA Sports Madden NFL 12 Sim - Packers vs. Steelers, Lions Make the Playoffs, Vick MVP

[Steve_OS]

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Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers Extend Conference Dominance According to EA SPORTS Madden NFL 12 Regular Season Simulation

Michael Vick Caps Career Year with MVP Award; Detroit Lions Capture
Long-Awaited Playoff Spot

Following their match-up in Super Bowl XLV, the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers maintained their dominance over the NFL during the 2011 season according to the official Madden NFL 12 regular season simulation. With less than a week before NFL Kickoff week, EA SPORTS predicted the 2011 NFL regular season’s division winners, Wild Card winners, statistical league leaders and individual award winners.

Behind Defensive Player of the Year Clay Matthews, the Packers remained the team to beat in the NFC. They improved on last year’s 10-6 record by finishing 13-3 in 2011. Not to be outdone, the reigning AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers had an equally dominant 13-win season under the direction of NFL Coach of the Year Mike Tomlin.

However, boosted by significant additions during the offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots were nipping at their heels. Both teams posted a 12-4 record and received a first-round playoff bye. The Eagles’ dominance was spearheaded by NFL MVP Michael Vick, whose 29 touchdown passes and nearly 4,000 yards passing were both career highs. Two-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady carried the Patriots, finishing with an NFL-best 35 touchdown passes and over 4,000 yards passing.

Green Bay, Philadelphia, New Orleans and St. Louis each won their respective divisions in the NFC, while Offensive Player of the Year Roddy White and the Atlanta Falcons (11-5) secured the fifth seed in the NFC. Locking down the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC was the playoff-starved Detroit Lions (9-7), a team that hadn’t been to the postseason in 12 long years.

The AFC remained a model of consistency as Pittsburgh, New England and Indianapolis each won their respective divisions, with San Diego (11-5) wrestling the AFC West away from Kansas City (10-6). The New York Jets once again grabbed the fifth seed with another 11-5 season, while the Baltimore Ravens (10-6) stole the last playoff spot behind NFL rushing leader Ray Rice, who finished with over 1,600 yards.

RB Mark Ingram of the New Orleans Saints and CB Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals were named Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year, respectively. Dallas LB DeMarcus Ware led the league in sacks with 17, while Baltimore’s Ed Reed solidified his ball-hawking reputation with a league-leading 10 interceptions.

NFL 2011 Season Awards (as simulated by Madden NFL 12):

• NFL MVP – Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles
• Offensive Player of the Year – Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons
• Defensive Player of the Year – Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers
• Offensive Rookie of the Year – Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints
• Defensive Rookie of the Year – Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals
• Coach of the Year – Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers

Top Ten Offensive Performers

Quarterback
Player Team Yards TDs INTs
Philip Rivers SD 4699 29 11
Aaron Rodgers GB 4633 36 11
Drew Brees NO 4572 31 9
Peyton Manning IND 4519 32 9
Tom Brady NE 4181 35 8
Matt Schaub HOU 4169 32 11
Tony Romo DAL 4090 33 11
Michael Vick PHI 3876 29 7
Matthew Stafford DET 3689 30 12
Josh Freeman TB 3610 26 9

Running Back
Player Team Yards TDs
Ray Rice BAL 1638 12
Adrian Peterson MIN 1576 11
Jamaal Charles KC 1512 12
Rashard Mendenhall PIT 1350 10
Darren McFadden OAK 1349 8
Arian Foster HOU 1337 13
Chris Johnson TEN 1295 11
LeGarrette Blount TB 1221 9
LeSean McCoy PHI 1173 8
Peyton Hillis CLE 1136 10

Wide Receiver
Player Team Rec Yards TDs
Roddy White ATL 113 1350 16
Andre Johnson HOU 112 1290 12
Hakeem Nicks NYG 88 1203 12
Calvin Johnson, Jr DET 98 1188 14
Greg Jennings GB 93 1176 11
Larry Fitzgerald ARI 99 1150 13
DeSean Jackson PHI 75 1096 11
Miles Austin DAL 88 1044 11
Reggie Wayne IND 91 1025 9
Chad Ochocinco NE 74 925 10

Top Defensive Performers

Sacks
Player Team Sacks
DeMarcus Ware DAL 17
Clay Matthews GB 15.5
Jared Allen MIN 14.5
Shaun Phillips SD 13
Tamba Hali KC 12
Ndamukong Suh DET 11.5
Carlos Dunlap CIN 11.5
LaMarr Woodley PIT 10.5
Chris Long STL 10.5
Da’Quan Bowers TB 10

Interceptions
Player Team INTs
Ed Reed BAL 10
Tramon Williams GB 8
Joe Haden CLE 7
Earl Thomas SEA 7
Patrick Peterson ARI 7
Eric Berry KC 6
Devin McCourty NE 6
Troy Polamalu PIT 6
Brent Grimes ATL 5
Antonio Cromartie NYJ 5

For more information about Madden NFL 12, please visit http://www.maddenNFL.easports.com.

Madden NFL 12 is available on the Xbox 360® video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation®2 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™, and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system. Simultaneous mobile releases of Madden NFL 12 are now available on Android devices, iOS devices and feature phones.

[BaylorBearBryant]

I wonder how the Colts and Texans would do if Peyton wasn't playing.

[chessmyantidrug]

How was Brady's 35 passing touchdowns an NFL best when Aaron Rodgers is listed as throwing 36?

[lbowbb2]

Anyone know if they modify the sliders for these simulations?

[mestevo]

I wish there was more parity in the simming, but random good teams tanking really wouldn't make a lot of sense without context. I can see the threads now 'lol I simmed 2011 and the Patriots and Eagles went 6-10'.

Not every season should be a complete surprise, but reading this sim just left me with the impression above. Not an easy problem to fix without adding a lot of things IMO... weekly story elements in the form of a recap show or an actual useable news section... team chemistry that has to be managed... individual player goals that have to be managed for +/- impacts to chemistry... etc.

Just need to be a number of systems in place that play off of each other to help make the season more dynamic, and a way to surface the results of the affects of those systems on not just your team but others.

[tbook24]

wow Vick mvp no qb wins mvp when there are 7 other qbs ahead of him all over 4000 yds and 30 1500 yd backs sorry madden the mvp part of the sim was a FAIL!!!!

[mestevo]

Quote: Originally Posted by tbook24

wow Vick mvp no qb wins mvp when there are 7 other qbs ahead of him all over 4000 yds and 30 1500 yd backs sorry madden the mvp part of the sim was a FAIL!!!!

It's just another thing that needs context, obviously his performance as a QB wasn't the only reason he got it, but if the game could portray that as more of a race and/or indicate it was a close vote for MVP with Vick edging out a competitor (or three) it would make a lot more sense.

[BaylorBearBryant]

Might not include rushing touchdowns tbook.